People from other places in the Unites States have looked favorably upon the coffee served at Ancora Coffee Roasters here in Madison. The "Isthmus" cappuccino squad also gave a thumbs-up to the cups served at Ancora. Patrons have generally not been as kind to the shop's food offerings as they have been to the java. Is Ancora picking up an unfair rep?

Matt Earley wants to be clear about Just Coffee's new relationship with Madison's Ancora Coffee Roasters. "The most troubling thing I've heard is that we somehow 'bought Ancora,'" says Earley, a cofounder, who works with farmer relations and outreach. "Just Coffee doesn't "buy" companies. We're not interested in doing that. It's also not a merge. As a worker co-op, we don't do that either."